COMPARISON OF DIFFERENT FOREST SPECIES DURING THE FIRST VEGETATIVE GROWTH PERIOD IN SHORT ROTATION FORESTRY

摘要

The need to broaden genetic diversity in short-rotation coppice plantations (SRC) or short rotationrnforestry (SRF) makes it necessary to test new species and/or varieties which may be suitable for use in differentrnedaphoclimatic conditions. Four experimental sites have been established (Girona, Leon, Madrid and Soria) for thernpurposes of comparing the behaviour of different species and varieties grown at high density (10,000 trees.ha~(-1)) in shortrnrotation plantations. The performance of these species is compared in terms of rooting and growth during the firstrnvegetative period. As regards the initial establishment of plants, the results reveal that all the species display highrnrooting success for the set of trial sites as a whole, with the exception of Platanus x hybrida. Significant differences inrninitial growth have been detected between the different species and varieties during the first growth period, with thernP.deltoides ‘Baldo’ clone exhibiting a significantly higher growth rate and response stability at all four sites. However,rnother species included in the trials such as Salix, Robinia or Platanus, may prove to be of interest in determined siternconditions, thus contributing to the increase in genetic diversity in plantations with woody species.